Since President Donald Trump’s operations began, the Memphis, Tennessee Safe Task Force has driven a massive drop in crime:
- More than 7,600 arrests, including hundreds tied to homicides, sexual offenses, gang violence, and drug trafficking.
- 1,319 illegal firearms seized, getting deadly weapons off the streets and out of the hands of thugs who have terrorized the community.
- 160 missing children safely located, bringing families back together and rescuing the most vulnerable.
- Overall crime in Memphis is down more than 45% compared to the same period last year — a dramatic drop from the bloodshed ushered in by the failed policies of the past.
- Motor vehicle thefts are down 68%.
- Robberies are down 53%.
- Sexual assaults are down 39%.
- Homicides are down 37%.
- Burglaries are down 33%.
- Aggravated assaults are down 32%.
A Memphis man learned the hard way this week that not every backyard appliance is part of the city’s unofficial “take what you can carry” rewards program.
Police say 41-year-old Leonard “Lil Riblet” Barksdale allegedly hopped a privacy fence in Southeast Memphis around 2:13 AM after spotting what he reportedly described as:
“a lightly supervised gas grill.”
According to neighbors, Lil Riblet moved through the backyard “with the confidence of a man who’s never once considered consequences.”
His confidence lasted nearly four seconds.
Because waiting in the yard was Memphiszilla–
a pit bull described by witnesses as:
“Built like a refrigerator with childhood trauma.”
Authorities say the dog immediately activated what experts are now calling:
“The Find Out Phase.”
Neighbors reported hearing screaming so intense that one woman thought somebody was auditioning for a gospel solo three streets over.
One resident said:
“That man hit notes that could remove wallpaper.”
Police say Lil Riblet attempted multiple escape strategies, including:
- Climbing a trampoline
- Throwing a lawn chair as a peace offering
- Yelling “BAD DOG” in a voice cracking like a middle school clarinet
- And at one point allegedly trying to negotiate:
“Bro please… I don’t even need the grill anymore.”
But Memphiszilla was reportedly unmoved.
Investigators say the suspect eventually climbed onto a patio table and called 911 all by himself while the dog circled below like a furry tax collector.
Dispatchers reportedly struggled to understand him because he was simultaneously crying, wheezing, and screaming:
“HE GOT MY SLIDES!”
When officers arrived, they found Lil Riblet apologizing directly to Jesus.
For his ICE like heroism, Memphiszilla has been awarded:
• Two T-bone steaks
• Full neighborhood hero status
• Unlimited backyard patrol privileges
• Commemorative plaque near the smoker
Online, Memphis residents immediately renamed the dog:
“The Grill Reaper.”
Moral of the story:
In Memphis, you might steal somebody’s grill…
…but sometimes the grill comes with teeth.
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One summer, I was told about a job as a meter reader. It was knowing that there are dogs like the above dog that I kept with my application to a local hardware store.
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